NFL: Seattle Seahawks batter Dallas Cowboys 27-7

SEATTLE -- Golden Tate circled back around and lined up Sean Lee with a crushing block that sent the burly Dallas linebacker flat to his back with his cleats in the air.

The Seattle Seahawks didn't just beat the Cowboys on Sunday. They physically knocked them around.

Marshawn Lynch ran for 122 yards and a 3-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, Seattle's special teams came up with two huge first-quarter plays that led to 10 points, and the Seahawks beat the Cowboys 27-7.

Lynch might be the personification of the style the Seahawks want to play with. And he fit the bill, running for 100 yards in the second half and finishing with 26 carries. But that physicality stretched beyond Lynch. Dallas tight end Jason Witten, while gallantly catching passes across the middle, was knocked around like a pinball from the likes of Seattle safety Kam Chancellor and linebacker K.J. Wright.

Then there was Tate. The slight receiver knocked Lee flat with a block that didn't draw a flag but might lead to a fine.

Still, the point was made: These Seahawks aren't soft.

"You hit a guy long enough, they'll start feeling it," Wright said. "They'll start turning their head around and dropping passes, so we did a good job of that."

Seattle (1-1) was staked to a 10-0 lead in less than 5 minutes. Michael Robinson forced Felix Jones to fumble on the opening kickoff that led to a short field goal, and Malcolm Smith blocked Chris Jones' punt, which Jeron Johnson returned 3 yards for a touchdown.

"We played well. We prepared well. We knew exactly what they were going to be doing out there and we were ready for it," cornerback Brandon Browner said.

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Rookie Russell Wilson threw for 151 yards in his first NFL victory, directing a 90-yard scoring drive in the third quarter capped by a 22-yard touchdown strike to Anthony McCoy to give Seattle a 20-7 lead.

Lynch had just 22 yards at halftime, but Seattle dominated possession in the second half, running 38 plays compared to 19 for the Cowboys. His dynamic 36-yard run in the third quarter included Lynch carrying tacklers in the open field and helped set up Wilson's touchdown pass to McCoy.

Other than their one scoring drive, the Cowboys (1-1) could never get their offense untracked.